Denny's On Demand
Art direction and packaging design for Denny’s On Demand, turning the brand’s social voice into takeout packaging people could hold in their hands.
Denny’s Humor, Packed to Go
Denny’s was launching Denny’s On Demand, a new ordering platform built to grow takeout and delivery beyond the traditional diner experience. The challenge was making the off-premise experience still feel unmistakably like Denny’s, especially for a brand whose personality had become such a big part of its social following.
At EP+Co, I art directed and designed a new takeout packaging system that brought that online voice into the physical world. Real Denny’s tweets appeared on cups, bags, and food boxes alongside bold color fields and patterns pulled from the brand’s familiar diamond shape. The broader On Demand launch earned two Shorty Awards and helped grow off-premise sales from 6.6% to 8.7% in 2017.
CLIENT
Denny’s Diner
AGENCY
EP+Co
YEAR
2017
MY ROLE
Art Direction, Packaging Design
DELIVERABLES
Takeout Packaging, Cups, Bags, Food Boxes, Campaign Graphics
RESULTS
Off-premise sales grew from 6.6% to 8.7% in 2017
13.8M earned media impressions
400+ broadcast, print, and digital features
Denny‘s Takes Online Ordering to the Next Level
Whatever. Whenever. Wherever.
Denny’s On Demand was more than a packaging update. The launch introduced a new way to order Denny’s for delivery or pickup and was supported by a national campaign built around the idea that a diner booth—and Denny’s food—could show up almost anywhere.
That gave the packaging an important job. Once the food left the restaurant, the bag, box, and cup became some of the only physical pieces of the Denny’s experience still traveling with it.
Denny‘s Takeout Packaging Revolution
Tweets for Eats!
Denny’s had already built a distinctive social voice, so instead of inventing new packaging copy, we brought some of that existing personality into the takeout experience. Real food-related tweets from the Denny’s timeline were matched to the package they appeared on, whether it was a burger box, coffee cup, or drink.
Each tweet kept its original date and timestamp, making it clear that these weren’t manufactured package lines—they came directly from the brand’s social feed. The packaging also pointed customers back to Denny’s social channels, creating a small loop between the physical meal and the online conversation.
Denny’s Takeout Packaging | Burger Box
Denny’s Takeout Packaging | Hot Paper Cup and Small Paper Bag
Denny’s Takeout Packaging | Paper-Handled Bag
From Timeline to Table
Reinventing Denny‘s Takeout Packaging
The visual system had to feel new without disconnecting from the Denny’s people already knew. I used bold blocks of color and repeated patterns built from the diamond shape in the classic Denny’s logo, giving the packaging more energy while keeping a recognizable piece of the brand at its core.
That system could flex across very different package shapes and sizes without every piece needing the same layout. The colors, patterns, typography, and tweets did the work of tying the whole family together.
Denny’s Takeout Packaging | Cold Paper Cup and Burger Box
Now You Don’t Need Pants to Enjoy a Grand Slam!
Taking the Diner Home
Denny’s On Demand brought ordering, customization, and payment into one digital experience, giving customers another way to get the food without sitting in a booth. The redesigned packaging made sure the brand didn’t disappear once the order left the restaurant.
It was a good example of something I think about a lot in brand work: the less glamorous touchpoints still matter. A paper bag or burger box can carry just as much personality as an ad if you give it something worth saying.
Denny’s on Demand’s off-premises sales grew from 6.6% to 8.7%, contributing to overall positive same-store sales growth in 2017 despite industry struggles.
Results
- Increased off-premises sales over two percentage points in first seven months
- Off-premise sales grew from 6.6% of total sales to 8.7% in December 2017
- 12.8% of total sales on traditionally busiest day of year – Christmas Day -Positive growth in same-store sales in 2017
- Build Your Own Grand Slam most popular dish ordered through Denny’s on Demand
- 13.8 million earned media impressions and featured over 400 times in broadcast, print and digital outlets.
Awards
Shorty Award – Winner in FOOD & BEVERAGE
Shorty Award – Audience Honor in FOOD & BEVERAGE
